Stayzilla, India’s Airbnb, raises $20M to reach 8,000 towns by year-end

India is a diverse country, and Stayzilla is a diverse site for travelers looking for places to stay. It has something for everyone: from hotels, homestays, and peer-to-peer rentals a la Airbnb to guest houses, jungle lodges, and boat houses. More than a third of its accommodations are alternative options.

This diverse approach has helped Stayzilla fan out rapidly across the large country, with a presence in over 1,200 Indian towns and more than 20,000 properties listed on its site. Now, it has just raised US$20 million in series B funding from Nexus Venture Partners and Matrix Partners to scale that up to 50,000 properties in 8,000 places by the end of this year, according to a statement.

Founded in 2010, Stayzilla received funding of US$500,000 from the Indian Angel Network, which was followed up by series A funding of an undisclosed amount from Matrix Partners India and IAN last year. Its founder Yogendra Vasupal, a.k.a. Yogi, is an engineering dropout who started taking on web-based projects from the age of 19.

He zeroed in on the travel and tourism industry, which constitutes more than two-thirds of ecommerce in India. The unorganized accommodation market, especially in private homes, is still a largely untapped market with huge potential in India. Stayzilla points out that Indians are among the least brand conscious when it comes to booking hotel rooms and other travel accommodation. This presents an opportunity for the diverse, alternative stay solutions offered by Stayzilla.

See: Ask a question, get a plan: new Indian startup streamlines your travel booking

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